posted by jax1215 on Feb 24
Southern Appalachian Family Farm will have their meeting on Monday, Feb. 28.
This month we will be focusing on our local Farmer’s markets. Frances Juhlin will be giving a 20-minute presentation on market gardening/tailgate markets. She and her husband Stephen operate Candy Mtn Farms and have a productive year-round garden that supports the local area, and they are the primary sellers at Cedar Valley Farmer’s Market in downtown Murphy. She’s also been the recipient of 2 grants for her greenhouses and has put them into full operation
We will also have a brief time of updates to keep you informed of progress being made.
Please remember to spread the word about SAFF to anyone you think may be interested and invite them to come to our meetings. We will be meeting in Marble at the Tri-County Community College building at 7 :00 p.m.
I can’t wait. Check out Frances’ video here on Green as you Can Be. Her farm is wonderful.
I am interested in starting a tail gate market in Brasstown this spring. If you are interested, let me know.
Jax
posted by admin on Feb 18
Our chickens have finally started producing. We get about 5 eggs per day. We have 9 hens and 1 rooster. That’s enough for the two of us. Last Fall Casper and I went to a chicken class. It was really interesting. I was surprised at the number of folks that turned out. My friends at Sleepy Hollow Gourd Farm have just increased their brood.
Mike & Joan Glover, Sleepy Hollow Farm
$6,000 — Heritage Birds
The Glovers are purchasing Heritage Breeds (Buckeyes and Partridge Chanteclers) that are on the near extinct list and are hatching their own chicks, using a new incubator. With the purchase of a poultry processing unit, they can offer meat to their customers for the first time. They are also selling baby chicks to other local poultry farmers and offering the use of their equipment to them.
The Glovers are increasing the number of laying hens from 60 to 100 to satisfy the high demand for brown eggs to Swain County residents and restaurants. With this expansion, they will be considered one of the largest egg producers in the county.
Keep up the good work!!!!
Jax
posted by jax1215 on Feb 9
The age old question of which came first the chicken or the egg…well, at this house it was the chicken. Last March my son gave me 6 peeps for my birthday. I was so excited, could not wait for my first eggs. We even took a class on raising chickens.
Five of the six peeps were roosters. Some dogs came on to our property while we were out and killed the only hen and a rooster. No hope for eggs at that point. then we heard of a lady that could not care for her flock anymore and we rescued 9 hens. They were really stressed and sad looking. No eggs still. During the worst snow storm something got two of our roosters.
Then on one of snowiest days my husband came in with one little egg. Yea !!! I cooked it just for him. That was 6 weeks ago. Finally this week, more started laying and now we have all we can use. (I will never try to figure out the cost of my eggs. LOL)
The chickens are so much fun to watch. No matter the cost of the feed, just the joy of watching them is worth every penny. The eggs taste wonderful, too.
Jax
